Idea RP with no rules. (Exception of RPN rules)

[StorytellerLathos]

It recently dawned upon me that I could make and RP without any rules, with the only exception being the RPN Community Guidelines. This might just be a stupid idea, but deep down inside of me I feel that it's possible to host a somewhat successful and active RP with no rules (again with the RPN rules being the only exception). I'm sure someone will be able to get my curiosity to stop before it ends up making me create an RP with no rules (with the exception of RPN rules), but until then I'll be working on somehow making an RP that remains interesting and is still able to break the rules (RPN rules are the exception).

 

[Idea]

Thing is, this kind of already exists. Most simple roleplays feature little to no rules, as at some point you just don't need them.

However, the problem with a lack of rules is twofold. The first is a lack of security. Players, particularly those who tend to enjoy RPs with more structure, length and/or quality, often rely on rules for a sense of security in getting the to participate in the kind of roleplay they like. Whether or not players stick to the rules, their presence means you can more reasonably expect people to uphold those standards and thus you don't have to fear your work and/or time going to waste or worse.

The second issue is that a lack of rules tends to lead to the opposite of the above. Chaos, lack of effort and indulgence. That said, while I am using negative words, these things aren't always taken in an negative sense: chaos can be very fun for some, sometimes people just don't have the time to post something that takes longer to make or can't reign themselves to due to motivational reasons, and some would argue indulgence is the entire point anyway.

Of course, there are those of us who really don't like having to deal with constant short posts, characters that fit neither the setting(if there even is one) nor a reasonable power scale, and who enjoy a spirit of thought and cooperation.

My overall point is that such an RP kind of exists and it exists within the demographic it most appeals to, simple roleplayers, because they the kind most interested in immediate fun over any semblance of standards. It's not a bad idea by any means, but if you're going to go through with it I wouldn't expect people to follow an actual story, to take a whole lot of thought towards their characters within a context or their posts in general, or to be at all organized. Expect players to come and go like visitors and that any attempt at establishing any rule will be met with oppposition.

Will this necessarily happen? Not all of it, no. But you should expect it nonetheless.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I would agree with the above. If you want to do this your best bet is to make a slice-of-life roleplay in a specific location.

A inn, a school, the after life, a fantasy village, etc.

Give your players that setting and list RPNs rules and away you go.

I would also have some policy in place to deal with people killing off or otherwise controlling other people’s characters. Either state that you can just ignore actions done to/with your character that you don’t agree with. Or let people know that if they cannot kill/manipulate/take over another persons character.

As I imagine you only need to have that happen once or twice before your fun idea turns into a toxic war zone.

 

[adrian_]

I would agree with the above. If you want to do this your best bet is to make a slice-of-life roleplay in a specific location.

A inn, a school, the after life, a fantasy village, etc.

Give your players that setting and list RPNs rules and away you go.

I would also have some policy in place to deal with people killing off or otherwise controlling other people’s characters. Either state that you can just ignore actions done to/with your character that you don’t agree with. Or let people know that if they cannot kill/manipulate/take over another persons character.

As I imagine you only need to have that happen once or twice before your fun idea turns into a toxic war zone.

I would disagree, not to be rude. I believe that someone who joins an rp like that should expect their character to die for seemingly no reason. It's par for the course when there aren't any rules.

An RP like this should have only one rule, which is to not get angry. It is just an RP afterall.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I would disagree, not to be rude. I believe that someone who joins an rp like that should expect their character to die for seemingly no reason. It's par for the course when there aren't any rules.

An RP like this should have only one rule, which is to not get angry. It is just an RP afterall.

I mean you don't have to do it word for word. But the point was that you need to set up a policy for people taking over other people's characters. Because if you don't your going to get nothing but infighting and screaming at each other.

EDIT - Because people take roleplays PERSONALLY so just being like "don't be mad it's just a hobby jeeze" isn't going to cut it. So either tell people off the jump that they can control other people's character or tell them they can't.

 

[Onmyoji]

RP with no rules will probably be fun for only two or three people who take control over.

People will leave after a couple posts because they will not be able to fit in. Or if someone does something to their character without their consent, they will not like it and they have the right to. Most likely they will just leave the rp immediately.

Sure that can work for a while but I don't think it will work for a long time. It may end up having a "core" player base but I doubt it will have many consistent players in the end.

 

[Idea]

If you want to do this your best bet is to make a slice-of-life roleplay in a specific location.

I have to dispute this. If an RP is made with no rules, then tying it to one specific location or slice of life will be next to impossible. On the location part, because characters aren't bound by any criteria (if you don't have rules it stands to reason that all characters are just up and accepted) meaning that you can expect scifi, fantasy, and pretty much anything to show up. And while you could feasibly say that those characters are in a specific location in the end of the day such an RP would probably be unable to hold them there, OR said RP would make that location pretty much a void with no real impact.

As for making it slice of life, while the idea of making the RP center on a genre that has little in the way of an overarching narrative and which focuses more on characters is a pretty good one, it is also a genre that is a slow burner. Again, this isn't to say it is impossible to make it a slice of life, in fact it's likely to be a slice of life by definition, but I think focusing on that in such an RP will be meaningless or in this case even detrimental because the target audience here is more visceral and immediate in their way of having fun in roleplay, so pumping action and mystery on a constant basis will probably help more.

If I would recommend anything personally though, and this is less a response and more of a comment on my own part, is to establish mechanics for shifting between players and characters rapidly, some in-universe reason why characters will randomly vanish at certain points in the story and how things can proceed without them.

Oh and also probably expect the RP to become multifandom.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Idea I think you and I have very different definitions of slice of life as well as wildly different experiences with the genre.

Which circles into something I intended to bring up yesterday. I think there are two problems with this role play idea. They aren’t insurmountable but they do need to be aknowledged by OP.

Problem 1, this will not be a no rule roleplay as individuals will need to follow RPN rules. I would therefore label this casual or simple when making the roleplay itself.

I would also make sure OP had a thorough understanding of RPNs site rules and how their enforced. Not only so they know what the limits on this site are and how they need to proceed if someone crosses the line. They also need to be able to explain the rules to their players. A surprising number of people have not read the site rules or don’t understand what they mean. So expect to have to clarify on both counts.


Problem 2, you need to define expectations for your roleplay. So I would make sure to define very explicitly what exactly the perimeter of your roleplay is and how you plan on handling disputes. As whether this roleplay has a setting, whether people can puppet others characters, whether they can come to you with concerns, etc. all that needs to be stated.

 

[Idea]

Problem 2, you need to define expectations for your roleplay. So I would make sure to define very explicitly what exactly the perimeter of your roleplay is and how you plan on handling disputes. As whether this roleplay has a setting, whether people can puppet others characters, whether they can come to you with concerns, etc. all that needs to be stated.

I'm not sure if you can say anything here beyond "the word of the GM goes" since the whole concept is "there are no rules except RPN rules". And even with the word of the GM, given the supposed amount of freedom here, there would be great opposition to an attempt to settle disputes outside of the players themselves.

Otherwise, completely agree with your latest post.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I'm not sure if you can say anything here beyond "the word of the GM goes" since the whole concept is "there are no rules except RPN rules". And even with the word of the GM, given the supposed amount of freedom here, there would be great opposition to an attempt to settle disputes outside of the players themselves.

Otherwise, completely agree with your latest post.

Not necessarily. I am talking about expectations not rules. So I am just saying to be very explicit on what your expectations are in the roleplay

example opener
Please read the site rules (linked) before joining this roleplay. If you have a question on what a rule means you can ask the Staff or myself (GM) for clarification.

This is an open roleplay so you may make however many characters you want and put them in whatever location you want.

However I do expect courtesy to be shown to everyone in this roleplay. If I determine you to be disruptive to others I will remove you from the roleplay.


There you go. Not that hard and it sets up some kind of accountability. As harassment is against site rules anyway and in my experience letting two people snap at each other in a thread without supervision just gets the whole thread locked by staff.

Better to have the GM boot them out and let everyone else enjoy themselves.

 

[Idea]

Not necessarily. I am talking about expectations not rules. So I am just saying to be very explicit on what your expectations are in the roleplay

example opener
Please read the site rules (linked) before joining this roleplay. If you have a question on what a rule means you can ask the Staff or myself (GM) for clarification.

This is an open roleplay so you may make however many characters you want and put them in whatever location you want.

However I do expect courtesy to be shown to everyone in this roleplay. If I determine you to be disruptive to others I will remove you from the roleplay.


There you go. Not that hard and it sets up some kind of accountability. As harassment is against site rules anyway and in my experience letting two people snap at each other in a thread without supervision just gets the whole thread locked by staff.

Better to have the GM boot them out and let everyone else enjoy themselves.

Ah, yes, you have a point then. Do forgive my misunderstanding.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Ah, yes, you have a point then. Do forgive my misunderstanding.

Lol it’s fine sometimes you gotta take a few different tries to get the idea across properly